Lack of Flames correspondent at the Athletic

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

It is weird. Ultimately I largely subscribe to the Athletic for broader coverage, as any Flames news I get from here including better analysis and opinions.
But it still is pretty poor on their part.
I noticed the same article yesterday and the fact that not a single Flame prospect was mentioned.

The weirdest part of that article was that they profiled the "Next Gen Showcase" with a three sentence write-up on Viljami Marjala. It would have been easy enough for a decent reporter to come up with three lines on Gridin, Suniev, Phillips or Honzek.

Maybe make one call to Flames' PR to get their take if the writer has zero background on the Flames? For three sentences.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

It is weird. Ultimately I largely subscribe to the Athletic for broader coverage, as any Flames news I get from here including better analysis and opinions.

I like to follow the NHL in general and other teams as well. But while there’s a lot of good analysis and opinions about the Flames here on CP, we don’t see the kind of feature stories that the better Athletic correspondents write - meaty stories that draw on interviews of players, coaches, managers, etc, who independent bloggers typically don’t have access to. I’ve always enjoyed those kinds of traditional media features, and it’s a bummer that we’re not seeing any about the Flames anymore.

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I like to follow the NHL in general and other teams as well. But while there’s a lot of good analysis and opinions about the Flames here on CP, we don’t see the kind of feature stories that the better Athletic correspondents write - meaty stories that draw on interviews of players, coaches, managers, etc, who independent bloggers typically don’t have access to. I’ve always enjoyed those kinds of traditional media features, and it’s a bummer that we’re not seeing any about the Flames anymore.

The Athletic lost those pieces on Calgary when Eric Duhatschek retired. That guy is a brilliant thinker and a great writer.

[Press Level]

As long as they keep offering 99 cent/month subscriptions, I will stick around for the other sports coverage, which is excellent.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

It is weird. Ultimately I largely subscribe to the Athletic for broader coverage, as any Flames news I get from here including better analysis and opinions.
But it still is pretty poor on their part.
I noticed the same article yesterday and the fact that not a single Flame prospect was mentioned.

The prospects of a trade are high.

[iggyloob12]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Edmonton has more than one writer. Your logic, as usual, is completely wrong.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmonton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary

When it comes to NHL markets, Edmonton sure seems a lot bigger than Calgary with the larger fan base in the province. I think Calgary’s success as a city and attracting newcomers from across the country affects the fan base. The city might be bigger, but lots of those transplants maintain original team loyalties.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by iggyloob12

When it comes to NHL markets, Edmonton sure seems a lot bigger than Calgary with the larger fan base in the province. I think Calgary’s success as a city and attracting newcomers from across the country affects the fan base. The city might be bigger, but lots of those transplants maintain original team loyalties.

Edmonton captured a huge share of fans in the 80s and that was passed down to their kids

[TheScorpion]

As far as readership goes, I'd wager Oilers content by and large gets 5x the clicks compared to Calgary content. They're not comparable hockey media markets in this day and age. ESPECIALLY with McDavid talk dominating the landscape as he approaches UFA.

[cam_calderon]

Two series wins in two decades, enough said. Until we have stars that propel the team to great offensive heights like Johnny and Chucky again or become somewhat relevant with series wins, we won't be more than a footnote around the NHL. This club has given casual fans close to zero reasons to care in 20 years.

The diehards on this site aren't enough to sustain a full-time writer on a national publication or there would still be one.

[Erick Estrada]

Yeah I don't think a lot of Flames fans realize just how much more popular the Oilers are in Alberta.

[MegaErtz]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Edmonton has more than one writer. Your logic, as usual, is completely wrong.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmonton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary

If we were going off population, Atlanta would still have the Flames, never mind the Thrashers.

We're almost totally irrelevant in the NHL. Has there been a team with less success than us over the last twenty seasons?

[cam_calderon]

Originally Posted by MegaErtz

If we were going off population, Atlanta would still have the Flames, never mind the Thrashers.

We're almost totally irrelevant in the NHL. Has there been a team with less success than us over the last twenty seasons?

Can't be bothered to check every team but even Buffalo has more series wins (four to two) after our run in 2004. We have at least made the playoffs more often but always stumble in the first or second round.

[Barnet Flame]

We don’t really ice a product that is worth reading about to other than a diminishing hardcore fanbase. We’re not alone in that, but outside of a couple of blips over the past 36 years, that is where we’ve been.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

How are you justifying paywalling your product with a subscription if you cant even bother to cover the whole league?

Its less so about calgary as a market and more about being a competent source of information for the NHL.

I wish I never gave them my money in the past.

[cam_calderon]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

How are you justifying paywalling your product with a subscription if you cant even bother to cover the whole league?

Its less so about calgary as a market and more about being a competent source of information for the NHL.

I wish I never gave them my money in the past.

Just as the Flames are a footnote in the NHL, I'm sure NHL articles gets far, far, far fewer clicks than the other three majors and worldwide, fewer than EPL.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Yeah I don't think a lot of Flames fans realize just how much more popular the Oilers are in Alberta.

Yup. It’s not a North/South divide as most people think. It’s a Calgary/Rest of the Province divide. Southern Alberta outside of the Calgary area is pro-Oilers and it’s only going to get worse with McDavid.

We simply haven’t had a player on the same level as Gretzky or McDavid. The Oilers were able to grow their fanbase through them. We haven’t had that luxury. The closest we’ve had was probably Iginla but even he isn’t even close to that level.

The kids today are growing up as Oiler fans almost exclusively because of McDavid. The Flames can’t compete with that right now.

[iggyloob12]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Edmonton captured a huge share of fans in the 80s and that was passed down to their kids

Growing up in Saskatoon in the 80s, everyone cheered for Gretzky and the Oilers. That’s why I chose the Flames! More winning since ‘89 would have helped grow the fan base outside of Calgary, but it is what it is.

[Vinny01]

I canceled the Athletic this year and they emailed me with an offer of less than 50% off so I took it. I dislike the lack of flames coverage but appreciate coverage for other teams I cheer for like the Raiders and Raptors as well as general NHL, NFL, NBA coverage. I will pay the discounted price but never the full $75/yr

[just_tim]

If you have Apple News or Apple One, most of their content is there.

[Arsenal14]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

Yup. It’s not a North/South divide as most people think. It’s a Calgary/Rest of the Province divide. Southern Alberta outside of the Calgary area is pro-Oilers and it’s only going to get worse with McDavid.

We simply haven’t had a player on the same level as Gretzky or McDavid. The Oilers were able to grow their fanbase through them. We haven’t had that luxury. The closest we’ve had was probably Iginla but even he isn’t even close to that level.

The kids today are growing up as Oiler fans almost exclusively because of McDavid. The Flames can’t compete with that right now.

It's not even that anymore. From what I've seen of my son's peers it's pretty much all Oilers even inside Calgary. The McDavid effect is very real and it's going to take a very long time to overcome. We're seeing a lost generation of potential Flames fans.